By RONALD CHAWE -
ZIMBABWE Sevens head coach Gilbert Nyamutsamba has hailed Zambia’s rise in the Sevens format of rugby saying it will also help his side growstronger.
Nyamutsamba told the media after his side Zimbabwe thumped Zambia 38-5 in the finals at the just ended Maseru 7s in Lesotho that his teamcould only grow stronger when those around them keep pushing.
The coach hailed the Zambian’s sevens management for the work in raising the levels of the team and that his southern neighbours were not far away from bringing the topprize home.
“As we congratulate the Zimbabwe Cheetahs, we take a moment for Zambia Sevens team and management for a sterling job and fine performances.
“We can only grow stronger when those around us keep us on our toes so we scale heights above them,” he said.
He said that while the Cheetahs would glow in the big win, it would paycredit to the teams that made his side to redeem pride.
“Our dream will be realised with Zambia and everyone around us gettingstronger. Congratulations to Zambia and well done to the Cheetahs. With less than two weeksleft until kickoff of the Africa Sevens this was a massivepreparations for both teams,” he said.
Both Zambia and Zimbabwe will be heading to Kampala, Uganda for the2017 Africa Cup sevens tournament that will be played next weekend.
Host Uganda, Lesotho, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Tunisia,Morocco, Senegal, Mauritius and Zambia are some of the countries taking part in the Africa Sevens.
This year’s tournament will serve as a qualifier for the 2018 Hong KongSevens tournament, from which two teams compete for a chanceto gain core status in the 2018 HSBC World Rugby Sevens series.
The Africa Sevens will also be a qualifier to the 2018 Rugby Sevens World Cup and the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia.

By JUDITH NAMUTOWE -
THE Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has said the feasibility study on the Batoka Hydropower Station has been reviewed.
ZRA chief executive officer Munyaradzi Munodawafa said in an interview yesterday that the review on the demo structure, power house and capacity output on the project had been completed.
Mr Munodawafa said the authority was currently waiting for the second phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
‘‘We have reviewed the Batoka Hydropower Station feasibility study. The study on the demo structure, power house structure and the capacity output on the project has been completed,’’ Mr Munodawafa said.
He said the finalisation of the study and the EIA was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2015.
Mr Munodawfa said consultants were currently working on other processes and thereafter the project committee which include senior Government officials , utilities and ZRA would visit the project this month.
He said once all these processes were completed, ZRA would then be able to select the developer for the project, after which the authority would be able to come up with the actual value of the project.
Zambia and Zimbabwe signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to team up and start the Batoka hydropower project which is estimated to cost about US$4 billion.
The agreement was signed during the council of ministers held at Kariba in Siavonga recently.